The present invention relates to improvements to a reusable storm drainage conduit plug with sealing means for preventing debris and the like from entering the conduit during storm drain construction.
During construction storm drainage conduits are laid in trenches and the work may have to be interrupted, for instance at night, or when interrupted traffic flow must continue. The open ends of the conduits must be protected from dirt and other debris.
Applicant has a number of previous inventions directed to storm drainage conduit plugs, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,316,045 and 5,806,566. These patents are incorporated herein by reference. The present invention is an improvement to these plugs in several ways.
It is an object of the invention to an outer panel that is generally dome-shaped to provide additional strength by tapering the upper surface to distribute the weight of soil and the like.
It is another object of the invention to provide depressions in the outer panel for labeling areas for identification means or other pertinent information.
It is another object of the invention to provide an annular groove in the sealing surface to provide means to secure a sealing band in place. This improvement allows the plug to accept a variety of sealing bands that are used in a variety of drainage conduits.
It is another object of the invention to provide a cavity formed on an inner surface of the plug, positioned medially and dimensioned to mate with a handle of a second plug for stacking.